Description
304: Getting Beyond a Toxic View of Self: Seeing Yourself as God’s Work of Art Changes Everything
Ken Nichols, Psy.D.
ALIVE Ministries
P.O. Box 176
Forest, VA 24551
Summary
One of the significant challenges for counselors is to identify the difference between presenting symptoms and probable sources. A counseling treatment plan that primarily focuses on the symptoms often results in short-term gain and long-term pain. In therapeutic encounters, a toxic view of self is one of the least considered underlying sources of psychological, relational, and spiritual pain. Early in our lives, we begin to fashion ideas about our self-worth based on the grades we get from parents, peers, teachers, and coaches. A nagging angst over how we view ourselves and preoccupation with how others see us marginalize our ability to serve God, love others, and enjoy the journey of life.
Learning Objectives
Participants will:
• Demonstrate how to cultivate a confident, biblically-based, and psychologically-sound perspective of self
• Describe the encompassing influence of self-esteem that neither promotes self-condemnation or a spirit of pride
• Develop treatment plans for licensed mental health professionals to create a strategy and relational environment that encourages clients to intentionally and systematically cultivate a healthy view of self
